New products and services are brought to the attention of potential users through myriad types of advertising. Recent developments in digital and broadband distribution technologies have enabled targeted contextual advertisement. For example, while viewing a television show, a viewer may request information regarding a star's wardrobe and be provided with retail or other information. The information generally is provided quickly in response to the user's request. By receiving information at a time when the viewer's interest in the particular item is heightened (such as at the time of the request), the viewer is more likely to register the “in-context” marketing information than at other times. Importantly, the viewer is more likely to buy or take other action when information is provided at the time the viewer's interest is heightened. Accordingly, targeted contextual advertisement can be very effective.
Advertising, of course, is the vehicle for bringing new communication devices and services to the attention of potential users. Recent technological advances have made communication devices ubiquitous with different devices satisfying different aspects of the communication needs of a user. For example, a business person may communicate by telephone, a wireless unit, a voicemail system, a pager, an intelligent (“i”) pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a facsimile machine. In addition, the business person may communicate electronically using the aforementioned devices and/or a computer through the use of e-mails, instant messages, chat room discussions, and the like.
Generally, communication devices and services are marketed using conventional advertising techniques. For example, a new or improved communication device or service may be advertised on billboards, in newspapers, on flyers, banners, posters, in commercials on the radio and television, and even on hot air balloons and dirigibles (“blimps”). Further, a new or improved communication device or service may be advertised through the use of sponsorships such as product or trademark/service mark placement at entertainment, sports, and other events.
The conventional advertising of communication devices and services may be characterized as a shotgun approach to marketing. A lot of advertising of communication devices and services is conducted so as to reach a broad audience and hopefully turn at least some members of the audience into customers. Conventional advertising may succeed in grabbing the attention of some potential customers, but grabbing the attention of “some” potential customers generally is not enough. Consumers are inundated with so much marketing information that often they become inured to advertising. In other words, consumers may not always “see” or give their attention to conventional advertising. Thus, conventional advertising may miss getting the word out to potential customers.
Further, even if a potential customer pays attention to the conventional advertising of communication devices and services, the advertising may cross the potential customer's attention span at the wrong time or wrong place. A potential customer driving in an automobile who reads a billboard regarding a new communication service may have his or her interest piqued. But the message delivered by the billboard may have been forgotten or superceded by a competitor's message by the time the potential customer is in a position to act.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method or system to deliver information regarding communication devices and services that is directed to the appropriate target audience, that is brought to the attention of the members of the target audience, that is delivered at an appropriate time and place, and that allows a potential customer to act on the information before forgetting the information or having the information superceded by other information.
A solution to the above stated need is targeted contextual advertisement of the communication devices and services. As noted above, targeted contextual advertisement is the provision of information at a time and in a context when the target's interest is heightened. Such advertising is more likely to gain the attention of the target, and as a result, the target is more likely to buy or take action based on the advertised information.
But the implementation of targeted contextual advertising for communication devices and services heretofore has been problematic. How does advertising target potential customers of communication devices and services in a contextual manner? Is a user of a communication device to be sent commercial information to be listened to or to be read from the face plate of the device? Will the delivery of such information be appropriately targeted? Will the delivery of such information be appropriately timed? Will the user pay attention to the information? Will the user act on the information? Or will the information be considered intrusive or annoying by the user or otherwise cause the user to have negative associations with the advertised communication device or service?
In sum, there is a need for a method or system that implements targeted contextual advertisement of communication devices and services. Further, there is a need for a method or system that implements targeted contextual advertisement of communication devices and services so the information is delivered in an appropriate contextual manner.